


The Next Contestant

by Steph_R94



Series: Try Me [7]
Category: Final Fantasy XIII-2
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-19
Updated: 2014-03-19
Packaged: 2018-01-16 07:16:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,520
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1336774
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Steph_R94/pseuds/Steph_R94
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An unofficial competition is wagged between two of groomsmen. Neither of the men know that they are participants, but they both have a common goal in sight: Lightning.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Next Contestant

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: Square Enix owns the Final Fantasy XIII trilogy and any recognizable characters. Stella is an OC I made. I think that there is another Stella in the games somewhere, but I don't mean her when I say Stella.
> 
> The Next Contestant takes place two weeks after Stay the Night.

Noel, Hope, Gadot, Yuj, and Maqui were getting dizzy as they watched Snow pace around the room. After many more minutes of watching him trod the carpet down, Noel stepped in front of him. Just as Snow turned, he grabbed the bigger man’s forearms.

               “Snow, deep breaths. Serah’s been with you this long; I doubt she’s going to bolt now.” Noel patted his forearms before letting go. Snow did as he demanded and took deep, even breaths to calm himself down. After a few minutes, he grinned and clapped Noel on the shoulder hard enough to stagger a man his size. Noel, however, stood his ground easily against it.

               “Thanks. I needed that. How much longer do you think it’s going to be?” Snow asked as he looked over at his other friends. Gadot, Maqui, and Yuj looked at one another. They seemed to be trying to remember just what had been said before. He rolled his eyes. _‘What a helpful lot you three are…’_

               “Lightning said she’d come and tell us when it was time for you to be at the altar.” Noel said immediately after Snow posed the question. Snow suppressed the urge to tease Noel with _“of course you would remember…”_ Ever since Serah and he formed that bet, he had been paying closer and closer attention to Light and Noel’s interactions. Noel paid a large amount of attention to Light. At first, Snow had thought it was because he was neglecting Noel as a friend. So he had started hanging out with him more. But even when all four of them were in the room, Noel still paid more attention with Light spoke. The same went for Lightning. The sinking feeling that he was going to lose yet another bet had set in.

               “Out of context,” He was pulled from his thoughts by Yuj’s voice, “this would sound as though we were sacrificing him…”

               “We technically are,” Maqui pointed out. “After tonight, he will no longer be a free man…” Maqui shook his head as if it were some tragedy. Gadot laughed while Noel just smirked.

               “Not such a sacrifice, boys…” Snow told them as he clapped them both on the shoulders. The weight of impact made the men stumble. “Oh, sorry, guys.” Snow apologized instantly.

 

* * *

 

               Lightning stuck the last pin in Serah’s up-do. She had asked that her hair be braided and twisted into a bun. For flare, Lebreau had stuck some of the white flowers from a nearby vase into her hair as they went.

               “You look beautiful,” Lightning complimented her sister as she placed her hands on her sister’s bare shoulders. The dress Serah had picked out had been a lilac colored dress with a sweetheart neckline. Lightning had wrapped their mother’s white scarf around her sister’s waist twice. On the first wrap around, she had fastened it with a safety pin. Lightning had then pulled the white fabric up over the safety pin and tucked it in at the side. For the something blue, Lebreau had given her one of her old necklaces. It was as small blue stone that hung from a thin, cream colored band of twisted leather. Each time her sister moved, the blue stone would reflect purple. The dress flared beautifully once it touched her hips. Ruffles wrapped diagonally around the fabric as it trailed down to the floor.

               “That she does,” Lebreau commented from beside her. Serah blushed and fidgeted with her hands.

               “I’m so nervous, but I really shouldn’t be right? Snow and I have waited for this day for three years!” Serah exclaimed. Lebreau grinned. If Serah was this frazzled, she could only image how bad Snow was. She could still remember how delighted he had been that she had said yes. The smile was permanent.

               “Planning and doing are very different things,” Lightning commented as she turned her sister’s chair around so that Lebreau could do her makeup. “Nerves are expected. I would be worried if you weren’t. This is a big step in your life.”

               “That was almost poetic, Light,” Lebreau said as she uncapped the mascara. “So are you finally okay with Snow marrying your sister?” Lightning didn’t answer. It was a stupid question. She was here. She helped plan it. Of course she was okay with Snow marrying Serah.

               _“This will be the last tear she’ll ever cry…”_ Snow had promised her. Over the course of their journey, she had grown to believe him. Serah’s happiness was the most important thing to him. That had been enough for her.

               “I’m going to go see how the boys are doing,” Lightning said as she moved away from the stool her sister sat on. She couldn’t do anything to help Lebreau. The bartender wouldn’t let her.

               “Send Snow my love.” Serah asked as she walked toward the door. Lightning smirked.

               “Okay…”

 

* * *

 

               Every man in the room looked toward the door at the sound of the knock. Snow’s nerves came back full force.

               “Everyone decent?” Lightning called through the doorway.

               “Yes!” Snow answered.

               “No wait! Snow, give me my pants!” Yuj hollered out over his shoulder. Noel covered his laugh with a cough. Outside the door, Lightning rolled her eyes. A loud smack was heard through the door. Yuj yelped.

               “Come on in, Light,” Snow said as he glared over at his friend. Yuj rubbed the back of his head. Lightning pushed the door open. For a moment, there was complete silence as each man took her appearance in.

               Her hair brushed down her back and curled beautifully. Her bangs were pinned back with a dark purple barrette. Her blue-green eyes popped due to the light purple eye shadow. Mascara darkened her eyelashes and caused them to curl outward. Her lips were painted a light pink. She wore no foundation because she didn’t need it.

               The dress Serah had picked out for Lightning complimented her perfectly. It was a deep purple dress that reached her knees. The straps seemed to tie underneath one another at her sternum and then lay over at the middle of her shoulder blades. A tight dark purple fabric belt wrapped around her waist. The dress flared out from that fabric belt. If she spun it would certainly fly up to her thighs. Noel’s eyes traveled down her tone legs. Like the dress, the heels she wore were dark purple. From the black sole, dark purple softened leather wrapped around the top of her foot and all the way up to her ankle. A buckle fastened the heels to her feet.

               Noel was captivated. Not that he would tell her, but he thought she looked gorgeous in whatever she wore; now he was blown away by her. He started slowly tracing back up her legs to her face. The goosebumps that arose on her skin did not escape his notice. He was surprised to see that her eyes were focused directly on him.

               Lightning hated herself a little. She was in a room filled with attractive men, yet her eyes focused on only one. Like the others, he had forgone a tie and had removed his customary jewelry. He had left three buttons undone. The sleeves of the tuxedo jacket were rolled up to his elbows. She couldn’t help but be a little disappointed that he had taken off the leather arm wrap and ring; she understood however. The dress pants fit him just as well as the jacket did. She swallowed. She wasn’t going to be paying any attention during the wedding especially since he would be standing right across from her.

               “You look beautiful, sis,” Snow breathed. Lightning tore her attention quickly away from Noel. The shocked and slightly awed expression on Snow’s face pulled an amused smirk onto her lips.

               “Lebreau’s doing her make up now. She should be ready in a few minutes,” Lightning shifted onto her left heel. The other men had yet to tear their eyes away from her. She smothered the proud smirk that threatened to touch her lips. “She said she loves you.” Snow smiled widely at her words. A brief silence fell over them. Gadot seemed to be the first to shake himself out of his Lightning-induced daze.

               “You clean up nice, Lightning,” Gadot ‘complimented.’ Lightning glanced over at him and raised her eyebrows.

               “I don’t really think that’s a compliment, Gadot…” Yuj muttered.

               “Like you could do better,” Gadot returned. Lightning shook her head in amusement.

               “You look gorgeous, Light…” Hope muttered. Lightning smiled softly at the young boy. His green eyes avoided hers as he spoke the compliment. He was the only one that wore a tie with his tuxedo. Hope had been asked to be the ring bearer for them.

               “Thank you, Hope. You look nice too.” He blushed and shifted onto his left foot. He muttered a quiet “thank you.” Lightning smiled a little wider. Snow sniggered.

               “I think Hope won.” Snow laughed. Lightning chuckled and looked toward Gadot.

               “Be ready to walk her down the aisle once the music starts.” For that reason, Gadot was to be stationed at the end of the line. Serah had wanted him to do it because he had been the one to take care of her when Snow had went to find Lightning. He had been there to reassure her, Serah had said. While it was true that Noel had done all of those things, Serah had told her that Gadot had confessed to feeling as though he had been pushed to the side. She thought that it would soften the sting if Gadot walked her down the aisle.

               At the statement, Gadot’s eyes instantly softened. A gentle smile rose instantly to his lips. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” he said. Lightning smiled. Serah had been right. She squeezed Gadot’s forearm. He flexed his muscle. Lightning chuckled and shook her head as she walked toward the door…and coincidently Noel who now had his arms crossed over his chest. She would not allow herself to think that he was jealous; it was simply be getting her hopes up. He leaned in close to her ear just as she was about to pass him and whispered:

               “Remember to save me that dance…”

 

* * *

 

               Serah titled her head as Lightning re-entered the room.

               “That took a long time,” Serah said. “I’m all dolled up and ready to go!”

               “I think I shocked them all mute…” Lightning muttered as she leaned against the wall. Serah laughed. “Which that means you’re going to kill a few. Snow might even stop breathing altogether.” The worried look that washed over Serah’s face made Lightning laugh. “I’m kidding, of course. He’s seen you naked,” Serah’s face instantly turned red, “he can survive this.”

               “Thanks for airing all of that dirty laundry, Light…” Lebreau muttered. “I’m going to have to wash my brain with bleach now because of that lovely image.”

               “You’re not the one that has to listen to it,” Lightning told her. One pink eyebrow was raised into her hairline.

               “You poor thing…” Lebreau cooed sympathetically. A small squeak of shock escaped Lebreau as a pillow from the white couch smacked her across the face. Lightning caught the other in her hand before it could hit her as well. A violently blushing Serah stood by the couch with her hands balled into fists at her side.

               “Stop it! Both of you!”

 

* * *

 

               Noel shifted uncomfortably in front of the large crowd. He stood just behind Snow’s left shoulder as he listened to the music. Lightning walked through first. He was startled to feel his heart rate begin to rise. Lightning reached her place. She pointed playfully at Snow once she was in position.

               “You’d better take care of her…” She warned. A chuckle went through the church. Sazh, who was marrying Snow and Serah, chuckled.

               “Or she’ll hit you again…” He mumbled. Snow chuckled nervously and rubbed his jaw as if the memory of her fist had been imprinted into his skin. Lightning smirked. The line turned their attention back to Lebreau as she stepped up beside them.

               “Guys, pay attention!” She hissed. All talk stopped, but Noel couldn’t keep his attention on the aisle in front of him. His eyes kept straying to the woman standing across from him.

               “Have you seen Gadot?” He could hear Lebreau whispering to Lightning. Lightning was glancing over at her out of the corner of her blue-green eyes. “I saw him in the hall…can I just say yummy?” An amused smirk flickered onto her lips.

 _‘Could I really be developing a crush on her?’_ He wondered as he watched her shift onto her left foot. His eyes once more traveled to those damn heels that made her legs look all the more attractive. He forced himself to look back toward the aisle. The last bridesmaid was walking down the aisle. Noel had been introduced to her, but he couldn’t remember her name. She smiled at him as she took her place across from where Gadot would be standing, but he was too lost in his thoughts to return any type of greeting. _‘It’s just attraction…’_ He tried to reason, but his mind flickered back to inside the room. _Lightning had just touched Gadot’s arm and squeezed. Gadot had flexed his muscle underneath her palm; Lightning had laughed._ He hadn’t wanted to believe it at the time, but Noel had been jealous. There was no other name for that outrageous amount of anger that swept through him at the sight. _‘Maybe I’m not developing a crush on her…maybe I’m already there…but when did it happen?’_ He flicked his eyes to Lightning again. Her green-blue eyes were focused on the aisle. The music changed to Here Comes the Bride. Noel forced his eyes away from her. Serah was on her way down the aisle. Like before, his breath left him at the sight of his best friend; but unlike before, he quickly regained it. He heard Snow’s quick intake of breath. He glanced over at him. The most ridiculous look was on his face. His crystal blue eyes were wide and glassy. His lips had spread into the widest grin Noel had ever seen on his face. Noel smirked in amusement and look toward Lightning on reflex. Her blue-green eyes sparkled with mirth. She returned her eyes to her sister quickly. Noel smothered his irrational feeling of disappointment. He turned his eyes back to Serah just in time to see her reaching the steps that led toward the preacher and Snow. Gadot passed her hand to Snow’s and stepped back down into his place.

               Snow seemed to buzz with nervous energy until the ring was finally placed on Serah’s finger and the words “I now announce you husband and wife” were spoken. Noel smiled in amusement and happiness as Snow grabbed Serah into her arms and pulled her into a very heated kiss. He was happy for them, for Serah. She had wanted to be with him all throughout their journey. He still was haunted by her pained cries when Snow was disappearing right before their eyes. He looked toward Lightning now. She wore a soft, amused smile as she watched Snow and Serah.

               Gadot cleared his throat from the end of the groomsmen line.

               “Dude, save it for the honeymoon…” He boomed. Laughter rang out through the guests. Lightning smirked as Serah pushed herself out of his arms with a small blush. Snow just wrapped his large arm around her waist and beamed.

 

* * *

 

               Serah laughed loudly from Snow’s arms as men crowed around her sister asking for a dance. Lightning looked so uncomfortable that Serah almost took pity on her, almost. She was still angry about the teasing Lebreau and her sister had put her through earlier. Snow quirked an eyebrow at his wife’s sudden laughter. He stirred them so that he was in her previous line of vision. He chuckled at the sight. The men pressed closer to Lightning. One man tried to reach for Lightning’s hand. She pulled it out of his reach by folding her hands behind her back.

               “They sure are trying, aren’t they?” Snow chuckled. Serah nodded against her husband’s shoulder.

               Noel watched from the corner of the room as men surrounded Lightning like Gorgonopsid males surround a female in heat. He narrowed his eyes as he caught sight of Gadot glancing over at Lightning as well. The large redhead moved toward them. Noel uncrossed his arms from his chest and kicked away from the wall that he had been leaning against with his left foot. The champagne he had consumed at the dinner gave him the liquid courage he needed.   

               Lightning was nearing the urge to use violence to part the men that surrounded her when a hand grabbed her wrist and swiftly pulled her away from _them_.

               “Sorry, boys, but I believe this lovely lady and I already have a date,” Noel said as they moved away from the hoard of men. He smothered his smirk as Gadot stared at him. The large redhead was soon distracted by Lebreau touching his arm and demanding for a dance. Goosebumps flared up Lightning’s arms as she looked down at the lightly tanned hand that had a pale ring around his middle finger. Her eyes trailed up the arm and followed the pale pattern that was left by his leather wrapping. He pulled her onto the dance floor by her wrist and then gently tugged her into his arms. His hand slid from her wrist to her hand. There he laced their fingers together. Lightning swallowed and forced herself to meet familiar blue eyes. “Hey.” He greeted. Lightning smiled despite her nerves.

               “Thanks for that…” Lightning muttered. She would have jerked her head back toward the disappointed hoard of men, but Noel’s hand distracted her. He barely touched her as he ran it down from her shoulder. His fingertips caressed her arm as his hand moved to her waist. Her heart was racing now as he curled his hand around her waist. Her mouth went dry as Noel smiled.

               “No problem. After all, you did promise me a dance. I just staked first claim,” he stated as he pushed their feet into movement. Lightning moved her eyes to a spot beside his left shoulder to keep from staring into his eyes any longer. It was a horrible idea. She caught sight of Serah’s smirking lips. She would have been content to just stare at that, but Noel’s next statement made her eyes snap back to those deep blue traps. “Hope was wrong. You don’t look gorgeous…” Anger flared through her a moment, but Noel quickly remedied her anger. “You _are._ ” Lightning’s mouth fell open. A violent blush rushed to her cheeks.

               _‘He’s just a friend, right?’_ Lightning tried to reassure herself as she looked away from his eyes once again. This time she focused on their hands.

               “Then again, you are every day.” Lightning swallowed and tried to calm her heart rate before he felt her pulse rate through the veins in her fingers. The champagne coursing through her system didn’t help. If he wasn’t careful, her self-control would snap. She had been good ever since she stopped avoiding him. She’d been able to hide her growing feelings for him and her strong attraction. The more he kept talking like that, the more the alcohol encouraged her to throw caution to the wind. _‘Someone…save me from this man…’_ She thought. _‘Before I do something I’ll regret.’_ It seemed she suddenly got her wish in the form of a large ginger.

               “Mind if I cut in?” He asked. Noel bit into his cheek, but released her from his hold. He slowly removed his hand from her waist; he let his fingertips linger as he pulled away. His sharp eyes didn’t miss Lightning’s shiver. He forced a smile onto his lips and passed her hand to Gadot. Just before the large ginger took her hand, Noel leaned down close to her ear.

               “I’ll find you later…” He promised Lightning quietly. He let his lips brush the shell of her ear. She shivered again. He didn’t bother hiding his smirk as he moved away. He pushed his hands into his pockets as he walked toward the refreshment stand.

               Lightning couldn’t stop thinking of Noel as she danced with Gadot. Nothing Gadot did would get her attention. It was starting to frustrate the hot-tempered man, but even he knew that he had lost. He chuckled slightly as he thought of the glances during the wedding and the lingering touches of both them as Noel passed her off. _‘Then again…I suppose I never had a chance to begin with.’_

  

                   

 

 

 _For Serah’s dress:_ **http : // dresseslux . com / organza-sweetheart-neckline-a-line-wedding-dress-dresses-uk /** Picture it as I described though. You know lilac in color. Where that sequenced thing is imagine the white scarf I talked about. Obviously, you are going to have to remove the spaces.

 _For Lightning’s dress:_ **http : // img0 . etsystatic . com / 017 / 0 / 8084934 / il_340x270 . 501434032 _ dhi7 . jpg for the visual image of the dress. Imagine it dark purple though.**   

 


End file.
